Alderman Murphy Takes Lead on Housing Trust Fund

Measure Passes

With help from Ald. Murphy the city now has its first housing trust fund, a key component in city efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities in Milwaukee.

Ald. Murphy sponsored a resolution to establish the housing trust fund, which was introduced and approved at the Common Council meeting on September 26. The permanent trust fund will help provide affordable housing for the mentally ill, homeless and disabled more efficiently. It will also help fund renovations to existing apartments and help create new lower-cost houses.

Ald. Murphy chaired the Housing Trust Fund Task Force, which met weekly for months to create the structure and blueprint for the trust fund.

Potawatomi Bingo Casino proceeds, revenue from closed tax incremental financing districts and payments that churches or other non-profit institutions make instead of property taxes will finance the trust fund.

"The fund will help Milwaukee better meet critical housing needs," said Ald. Murphy. "The council wanted to ensure that every citizen in Milwaukee has equal opportunity to live in safe, comfortable and affordable housing."

Ald. Murphy was joined by Mayor Tom Barrett (right), colleague Ald. Michael S. D'Amato (left) and members of the Housing Trust Fund Task Force during a special bill signing ceremony in November in the Mayor's Office. The ceremony marked the creation of the city's first housing trust fund, which will be used to help create safe, affordable housing for low-income residents. Ald. Murphy was the primary Council sponsor and advocate for the creation of the trust fund, and he credited members of the task force for their "hard work and diligence" on the issue. Those members were: Ald. Michael McGee, Jr., vice-chair; Tom Capp; Sup. Marina Dimitrijevic; Heather Dummer Combs; Department of City Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux; Lucia Murtaugh; Tony Perez; Brian Peters; Leo Ries; Bethany Sanchez; Mike Soika; and Robert Shelledy.